Abstract: |
It has been long understood that bladder cancer harbors specific genomic and copy number alterations. More recently, increased access by way of availability and reduced costs of next-generation sequencing has resulted in an improved understanding of the molecular biology of bladder cancer. Data from genomic sequencing yield prognostic information that may aid in the decision to pursue aggressive therapies, as well as predictive information regarding response to treatments such as intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and systemic chemotherapy. Genomic sequencing also provides data on targetable alterations that can bring novel agents from the laboratory to clinical trials. As the material for deep and broad genomic sequencing is expanded to include both plasma and urine, new avenues to screen and monitor disease are becoming available. While current guidelines recommend sequencing only for patients with advanced and metastatic disease, currently active clinical trials may expand these indications in the near future. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved. |